Golf is a very complex game, in which two rounds of golf on the same golf course will not be identical no matter how many rounds of golf are played, but there are some fundamental conditions that always apply.
The possible length a ball will fly is controlled by the ball speed, the launch angle, and the spin generated on the ball when hit by the golf club (i.e. at impact). The ball is in turn affected by the speed of the club and the kinetic energy transfer that occurs between the golf club and the ball. It means that with the same type of hit on the ball, more speed of the club is needed to transport the ball a longer distance and less speed on the club is needed to transport the ball a shorter distance. If a golfer should be able to hit a ball as far as possible, a golf club that generates maximum speed with maintained accuracy to hit the ball needs to be provided.
Golf is not just about hitting the ball far, but also to know how far a golf club will transport the ball when hit by a golfer in order to choose the right golf club to transport a ball a desired distance. Another factor is to be able to control the direction of the ball. Furthermore, ball flight (to be able to control the roll of the ball after landing) and different types of spins are other parameters that should be considered.
A golfer is allowed to bring 14 golf clubs on to the course (of which at least one is a putter). These golf clubs have different characteristics that are used by the golfer to try and control the parameters described above. Prior art golf clubs are normally designed to have ½ inch (12.7 mm) difference between the iron clubs. The length of the driver is normally approximately 45 inches (1 143 mm).
In order to make the golf clubs feel the same way for a golfer different techniques have been developed during the years.
One technique is to balance the golf clubs in a swingweight apparatus to achieve the same swingweight for each golf club. Another technique is to design the golf clubs using MOI (Moment of Inertia) in which the golf clubs are tuned hanging from a holder and put in a pendulum motion. MOI will give a good indication of the torsional moment for the golf clubs as such, and aim of the technique is to achieve the same MOI for all golf clubs in a set, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,733.
A technique to dynamically adapt a set of golf clubs is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,953, in which a moment of inertia (Ixy) may differ between clubs having different loft without any relationship to the length of each golf club.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,835,143 a method is disclosed for evaluating a set of golf clubs having different length and loft. Each golf club is adapted to control the flight performance and flight distance of a golf ball.
Club fitting may be performed to investigate and determine the length, lie (angle between the club head and the shaft), swingweight or MOI that is most suitable for a golfer. Club fitting is performed in advanced system in which sensors register behavior of the ball and the golf club when hitting the ball (i.e. at impact). The goal of all types of club fitting is to try and provide the golfer with equipment adapted to the golfer which will give the golfer better playing conditions.
The fundamental condition for all club fittings is that the golfer has established a muscle memory (practiced motion) such that a golf stroke with a certain golf club is good. It is also important that the golf club is manufactured in such a way that the golfer, in a physical perspective, manage to repeat the motion of the golf club in a similar way, over and over again.
A problem with prior art techniques is that although some design parameters are considered, others parameters that affect the ability to hit the ball repeatedly are not considered. One parameter is how the swing changes when the length of the golf club is changed. Different club length will result in different stances when addressing the ball with clubs having different lengths. The angles between the upper part of the body of the golfer, the wrists and club will vary dependent on the club length, which is a clear indication that the identical swing motion cannot be achieved for golf clubs having different length.